There’s already considerable overlap between membership in the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program and Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry. So does it make sense to keep operating the programs separately?

That’s what the federal government is starting to wonder.

According to recent press reports, TSA chief David Pekoske said in an appearance before airport executives that he and CBP Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan are taking a “good hard look” at merging the two trusted traveler programs.

Pekoske said that the two agencies could make passenger processing much more efficient by combining their separate enrollment infrastructures, which currently represent ”a big duplication of efforts.”

Currently, members of CBP’s Global Entry program are afforded expedited security inspections for domestic trips as automatic participants in TSA PreCheck, but PreCheck members do not have reciprocal Global Entry privileges.

Together, the two programs have about 12 million current members. A combined trusted traveler program could also save money for participants: The five-year fee to join CBP’s Global Entry – which speeds up the arrivals process for international travelers – is $100, while PreCheck costs $85 for a five-year membership.

The TSA chief said that combining the two programs would also make sense in adopting new security-related biometric technologies like the facial recognition effort that CBP is testing for Global Entry.

Screening lane like this one have rolled out in airports across the country. Are they better? (Image: United)

We’ve been getting a lot of pitches from airlines and the TSA bragging about the new “automated” security checkpoints popping up at airports across the country since last year. You know, the ones with the conveyor belts that deliver bins underneath a steel counter. Some refer to them as “smart lanes.”

In theory they should work well, but in practice, it sounds like it might be another story. We’ve heard from many readers (and friends) who question whether or not the automated lanes are an actual improvement.

Here’s one email from TravelSkills reader FF:

Chris, do you have any opinion on the new Delta initiated TSA “automated” checkpoints in ATL? In my experience (I go thru 2x / week), they are an unmitigated disaster. Even the TSA agents are disgusted with it.

I was told by an agent a few weeks ago, it was a UK-devised system (RED FLAG!!) that was being pushed by Delta. He also said that it required two extra agents per line to facilitate getting the passengers through due to the confusion/awkwardness created by the system. I heard another agent on Monday night saying that it takes so much longer than the old way.

In the past, I would ask an agent when the TSA was going to phase out the boondoggle, but I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the system is now being installed at MSP. I told an agent there to get ready, because it was a real cluster**** and she said she’d heard the same from several passengers. I wonder if Delta even beta tested it before rolling out?

The idea for the new lanes is that the TSA can process multiple people at one time. It’s designed so that experienced, streamlined passengers can easily get around slower passengers by just walking up to another slot. But it does not always work that way. From what I’ve seen, people feel like they are “breaking” in line if they choose a slot closer to the screening machine. So they wait. And then the TSA agent overseeing the operation shouts at them to go ahead and take the empty lane.

The lanes most recently went into operation at Minneapolis St Paul airport, and the TSA sent out a press release extolling the following virtues:

The automated screening lanes offer several new features designed to improve the screening process for travelers going through the security checkpoint including:

Stainless steel countertops designed specifically to enable several passengers to place their items in bins simultaneously;

Automated conveyor belts that move bins into the X-ray machine tunnel and return the bins to the front of the security checkpoint;

Automatic diversion of any carry-on bag that may contain a prohibited item; this diversion to a separate location allows other bins containing other travelers’ belongings to continue through the screening process uninterrupted;

Bins that are 25 percent larger than a typical bin and are able to hold a roll-aboard bag;

Unique Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags that are attached to each bin, allowing for additional accountability of a traveler’s carry-on property as they move throughout the security screening process;

Cameras that capture photographic images of the contents of each bin and are linked side-by-side to the X-ray image of a carry-on bag’s contents.

It sounds good in theory, but in practice, we are not so sure.

So the question is…is this just a learning curve thing, or a failure in design? What do you think? Please leave your comments below.

U.S.-bound travelers from international airports like Munich are facing new security hassles. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Remember back in June how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security abandoned its plan to ban laptops from aircraft cabins and instead agreed to settle for more thorough passenger screening? DHS gave foreign governments and airlines 120 days to implement stricter procedures, and that time is now up (thankfully after the peak summer season is over).

So starting this week, travelers bound for the U.S. from foreign countries can expect to see ramped-up security checks at the airport – changes that could mean longer lines, delayed departures and the need to get to the airport earlier than before.

Based on various reports that checked with a number of airlines, it looks like the tougher methods will generally involve personal interviews at check-in or filling out a new form prior to boarding.

Cathay Pacific travelers to the U.S. can no longer check in luggage downtown when taking the train to airport (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reports that Cathay Pacific will no longer allow U.S.-bound passengers to check in their luggage at downtown locations in Hong Kong and Kowloon; instead, they must do so at the airport. And it said that all airlines with flights from Hong Kong to the U.S. are telling passengers to get to the airport three hours before their scheduled departure to go through new security measures. The newspaper also said Singapore Airlines is warning travelers to expect a new security interview and possible inspection of their electronic devices.

In addition to Cathay Pacific, the Associated Press reports that Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates and Egypt Air all said they will implement security interviews of passengers on flights to the U.S., or require them to fill out new forms before departure. Emirates said that even transit and connecting passengers passing through Dubai’s airport would face new screening interviews at their boarding gates. And Egyptair told AP that passengers will also face more thorough searches of themselves and their carry-ons during security screening.

Every day, the tougher rules will affect about 325,000 travelers coming to the U.S. on 2,000 flights from 105 countries, according to Reuters . It quoted Alexandre de Juniac, head of the International Air Transport Association, as saying that the U.S. decision to impose “unilateral measures…without any prior consultation” was something IATA found to be “very concerning and disturbing.”

New TSA screening rules have also started in U.S. airports. (Chris McGinnis)

In the U.S., meanwhile, TSA in recent weeks has expanded to many more airports the new carry-on bag screening procedures that it announced a while back. “The new procedures require travelers to place all electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening when going through the security checkpoint,” TSA said. “The electronics should be placed in a bin with nothing on top or below, similar to how laptops have been screened for several years.” Thankfully the rules don’t apply to those passengers in PreCheck lines…yet.

In an unrelated development, TSA this week added five more airlines as participants in its PreCheck program, allowing passengers on those carriers to use the expedited PreCheck screening lanes. They include Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, All Nippon Airways, Finnair, and Contour Aviation, a Tennessee-based charter company. Here’s an updated list of all participating carriers.

You might need a passport for domestic travel next year. (Image: U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services)

Might a passport soon be necessary for a trip from Minneapolis to Seattle? Maybe… For nearly a decade, the Transportation Security Administration has been advising states that the IDs they issue – mainly driver’s licenses – must be compliant with the security standards set down in the federal government’s Real ID Act of 2005 if their residents use them to board flights – either international or domestic.

And now the clock is ticking on several states that haven’t yet met that requirement– they complain about the expense and effort it would take to add holograms and other security devices to licenses.

Travel agents, who could be saddled with the burden of fixing a mess like this, are particularly concerned. Trade publication Travel Market Report states, “Until now, the general consensus was that the states would be allowed to progress slowly, as long as they were making some effort in the right direction. But the saber-rattling in the White House is beginning to make travel industry insiders a little more concerned.”

This all means that that starting January 22, residents of those states might have to show a passport at the airport instead of a driver’s license. Even if you don’t live in one of these states, traveling to or from one of them could be a hassle due to the possible back ups a airport security. Those states include:

Kentucky

Maine

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Washington State

Actually, the deadline for compliance had been October 10 of this year, but TSA granted the states an extension until January 22.

It’s always possible that some of those states might make the required changes to their IDs before the deadline, but how could they distribute new licenses to everyone in just three short months? It’s also possible that the feds could grant additional extensions for compliance– which is what everyone expects, but who knows?

In any case, if you have an ID from one of the affected states, you might want to get into the habit of carrying your passport with you when you travel, even for domestic trips. If your passport is on the verge if expiring, better act fast to renew it, because that’s a process that can take several weeks unless you pay extra for expedited service. See this: When does your passport expire?

I always travel with my passport– even for domestic trips…just in case. What about you? Will the feds go through with this disruptive move or is someone bluffing here? Leave your comments below.

Those more stringent security inspection standards that the Department of Homeland Security recently stared requiring for overseas airports are being implemented for domestic travel as well.

The Transportation Security Administration said this week that persons who use the regular (non-PreCheck) screening lanes will be required to remove all electronic devices larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and put them in a separate bin to go through the x-ray machines. This includes tablet-sized devices. The devices should have nothing else below or on top of them – the same way laptops have been handled for several years.

TSA said the procedure will help its officers see a better x-ray image. The new requirement will not apply for persons using TSA’s PreCheck lanes- but be prepared for this for those times you don’t get selected, or your airline does not participate with PreCheck.

So far, we’ve heard that the enhanced screening for international flights is causing minimal delays, so let’s hope that stricter screening at domestic checkpoints follows suit.

Persons using PreCheck lanes will be exempt from the new requirements. (Image: TSA)

The new rules are already in place at 10 airports where they have been tested, including Boise, Colorado Springs, Detroit Metro, Ft. Lauderdale, Boston Logan, Los Angeles International, Lubbock, San Juan, Las Vegas and Phoenix Sky Harbor. They will be expanded “during the weeks and months ahead” to all airports, the agency said.

“In standard screening lanes, TSA officers will be stationed in front of the checkpoint X-ray machines to guide passengers through the screening process and recommend how best to arrange their carry-on items for X-ray screening,” the agency said.

“Travelers are encouraged to organize their carry-on bags and keep them uncluttered to ease the screening process and keep the lines moving. There are no changes to what travelers can bring through the checkpoint; food and liquid items that comply with the 3-1-1 liquids rule, electronics, and books continue to be allowed in carry-on bags.”

Travelers are popular targets for thieves because they carry large amounts of money and expensive electronics, and tend not to keep their guard up when relaxing or exploring a fun new place. They are more vulnerable in physical and social spaces that are not their own. And the probability of a visitor reporting a crime and sticking around to testify is very low.

Peak summer travel season is here. With low transoceanic airfares and a strong U.S. dollar, more Americans than ever have summer plans abroad. Does that include you? Or someone you love? Then it’s time to spend a few minutes to consider the new risks of international travel, and familiarize yourself with the customs, and potential dangers, of where you are going.

Don’t let these warnings scare you away from seeing the world… remember, you are likely as much at risk in your home town as you are in another country.

This morning Mike’s Gear Reviews sent us a helpful infographic that should help get you started in preparing for international trips. It’s packed full of helpful TravelSkills, such as:

>In Asia, you might be scammed into having tea with a “friendly” local, and then be left with an exorbitant tab. (I’ve heard of this one before… typically the friendly local says that he or she would like to practice English with you.)

>If confronted by criminals in Africa, always clearly display your hands and don’t make sudden moves that could be interpreted as resistance.

>Emergency phone numbers vary around the world. While we dial 911 in the U.S. and Canada, in Europe it’s 112, in Australia, 000. In Mexico, it’s 060. Know the number before you go!

What safety tips would you offer international travelers this summer? Please leave them in the comments.

Emirates passengers can once again use laptops inflight. (Image: Emirates)

Six Middle Eastern airlines said they are no longer subject to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s laptop ban, which originally covered non-stop flights to the U.S. from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa.

Just this week Royal Jordanian and Kuwait Airways announced they were out from under the ban. Late last week, Etihad said it had met DHS’s stringent new security inspection standards so that passengers on its flights from Abu Dhabi to the U.S. would no longer have to put their laptops and tablets into their checked baggage, or check them at the gate. Also Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways say their U.S. flights are no longer subject to the ban, effective immediately.

Turkish Airlines has also had the U.S. laptop ban lifted. (Image: Boeing

Large Middle Eastern carriers had responded to the ban by offering “loaner” laptops to their business and first class customers, and by allowing passengers to gate-check their electronic devices on U.S.-bound flights. Turkish Airlines said that during the 102 days when it was subject to the ban, it collected almost 82,000 devices from passengers; three-fourths of those were laptops and tablets.

Last week, DHS officials said that the U.S. could extend its laptop ban to flights from any of 280 airports worldwide unless airlines met strict new security standards that include more sophisticated explosive trace detection scanning for passengers’ carry-ons, greater use of bomb-sniffing dogs, and more intensive screening of airport workers and even passengers themselves.

But the agency also said airlines and airports currently facing the laptop ban could have it lifted if they met the new standards – which some of them are now doing.

TSA is testing fingerprint ID verification for PreCheck members at Denver and Atlanta. (Image: TSA)

In the latest efforts to test biometric identifiers for airline passengers, the Transportation Security Administration this week started using fingerprint scanners to verify identities at the Atlanta and Denver airports, and Delta said it will work with Customs and Border Protection on a test of facial recognition technology at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson and New York JFK.

TSA said its tests will be conducted at one PreCheck lane at Atlanta and one at Denver. TSA already has electronic fingerprints of persons who joined PreCheck, and it will match those records with a fingerprint scan taken at the checkpoint to verify identity. The technology also precludes the need for a boarding pass.

“Once the technology finds a fingerprint match, it is able to obtain the passenger’s boarding pass information through Secure Flight,” TSA said. “Participation is voluntary and all passengers who choose to participate will then be subject to the standard ticket document checking process of showing their boarding pass and identification document.” The technology ultimately could automate the document checking process by eliminating the need for an ID check and a boarding pass, TSA noted.

Delta said its facial recognition testingwith CBP will be used this summer for passengers departing on international flights. Passengers at the test gates will have an image of their face captured by a camera at the same time they self-scan their boarding pass. The technology will compare the individual’s identity as verified by the facial scan with itinerary information in Delta’s ticketing database.

“Upon successful screening at JFK, the eGate will open for individual customers to pass into the boarding area,” Delta said. “In Atlanta, a self-contained unit will capture and verify customer’s identity before the customer continues on to boarding. All customer data is securely managed by CBP.”

The JFK test started this week at Delta’s Gate B24, and will be deployed at Atlanta’s gates E10 and E12 later this summer.

JetBlue recently announced similar testing of facial recognition technology for its flights from Boston to Aruba starting this month, and Delta is testing fingerprint scans for entry to its Sky Club at Washington Reagan National for SkyMiles members who also participate in the CLEAR trusted traveler program.

Last week, two rocks I brought back from Georgia landed me in the slow lane at ATL for a hand inspection of my carry on. Earlier this year some cheese I had in my carry on bag resulted in the same procedure.

As travelers stuff more things into their carry-ons to avoid checked bag charges, the Transportation Security Administration is finalizing new procedures that would ask them to remove some of those things from the bags before they go through x-ray machines.

The agency has been testing various options at select airports, and TSA officials told the Wall Street Journalthat they are likely to decide on new procedures within a few weeks – although those procedures probably wouldn’t be implemented until the summer travel rush is over.

The problem is that the more various items travelers cram into their carry-ons, the harder it is for TSA agents to interpret what they see on the x-ray screens, slowing down the process and requiring more bags to be pulled aside for a separate search. Thus TSA is expected to tell travelers to remove certain kinds of things from the bags and put them in separate bins for the x-ray machines, as they do now with laptops and liquids.

On the bright side for business travelers, TSA officials told the newspaper that the new rules are not likely to apply at the PreCheck lanes. (But as we all know, PreCheck is not always a given…)

The article said that the kinds of items being considered for removal from bags include food and any electronic device larger than a cell phone. Some other possibilities are less than obvious – the agency briefly tested a requirement that travelers take any paper items out of their carry-ons, but that didn’t work well and was dropped.

But officials told the Journal that the type of items to be removed from bags could vary from one airport to another, or even one screening lane to another. Removing the items wouldn’t be mandatory, but travelers who didn’t comply might have their bag subjected to a hand inspection.

In any case, a new regime of carry-on unpacking is likely to cause considerable confusion at the screening lanes, especially when the new procedures are first introduced.

And there’s more… according the the WSJ, the TSA is considering changing the way it checks traveler IDs and boarding passes. A snippet from today’s paper:

Meanwhile, the possibility of an expanded U.S. ban on in-cabin laptops and tablets for non-stop flights from Europe continues to simmer. U.S. officials agreed to put it on hold for a while following talks with their European security counterparts last week in Brussels, but an expansion is still a definite possibility. The two sides are meeting again this week in Washington D.C. to continue their discussions.

U.S. and European aviation and security officials are meeting in Brussels today (May 17) to discuss the planned expansion of the U.S. “laptop ban” to European routes, and industry observers are predicting massive logistical problems and airline financial losses when the expansion starts.

The U.S. is reportedly planning to ban passengers from carrying electronic devices larger than a smartphone into the cabins of U.S.-bound flights from Europe, just like the ban it already has in place for non-stop flights from 10 Middle Eastern and North African airports into the US.

Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the U.S.-based Business Travel Coalition, spelled out the dangers of an expanded ban in a letter this week to Europe’s Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc.

Remember SARS? Zika? Or the Icelandic volcano that shut down transatlantic travel? If the ban is extended, “the economic risk to airlines and the travel and tourism industry is orders of magnitude greater than the threat from pandemics, volcanoes or wars,” Mitchell said. “This is serious.”

He noted that most companies, governments and universities “will not allow employees to check laptops, most of which have sensitive information on them,” and that could be a deal-breaker for many planned transatlantic trips. “That’s where a dramatic falloff in business travel demand would be based,” Mitchell said. “A monthly trip to London becomes a once-a-quarter one.”

In addition to that, all airlines specifically deny liability for electronics packed in checked bags in their contracts of carriage, so travelers are left with little or no protection unless they have travel insurance that covers such losses (many policies don’t).

Can you fly back from Europe without a laptop or tablet? (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The result? Fewer business travelers will pay for the big seats up front. The loss of a handful of first and business class passengers on a transatlantic flight could easily make that flight unprofitable for the airline, he said, as flagging demand drives down yields.

“There is evidence that this already is happening,” Mitchell wrote. “Despite creative efforts by Gulf carriers such as gate-side (laptop) check-in, separate secure inflight storage and dedicated arrival pick-up, not to mention onboard loaner tablets, early indications are the negative impact on bookings has been significant.” (Emirates has already announced plans to reduce flight frequencies on several U.S. routes due to a falloff in demand.)

Mitchell urged the Europeans to “push back on this potential ban” and on the one already in place for the Middle East and North Africa.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association – a trade group of the world’s airlines – is predicting that an expanded ban would cost travelers more than $1 billion, including $655 in lost productivity, $216 million for longer travel times, and $195 million for renting laptops from airlines. IATA said extending the ban to Europe would affect 350 to 390 flights per day.

U.S. airline analyst Henry Harteveldt told Yahoo! News this week that an expansion of the ban to Europe would mean “a summer of international travel hell” for passengers. And for airlines, the ban would have an “extensive financial impact,” with falling demand and worker layoffs likely, he said.

Another analyst, Vinay Bhaskara, told Yahoo! News that if the U.S. ban is put into effect suddenly, without sufficient lead time for airlines to prepare, the result will be “havoc” for travelers and airlines. “Airports will become zoos,” he said. “The additional security screening time may require passengers to arrive at airports four or more hours in advance of flights.”

Readers: If the expanded laptop ban takes effect, would you cut back on travel to Europe? Please leave your comments below.

Working on your laptop inflight from Europe might, or might not be, verboten (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

It looks like the Department of Homeland Security’s widely-reported plans to expand its in-flight laptop ban to Europe has been put off at least for a few days.

Earlier reports this week suggested that the ban’s announcement was expected by Thursday or Friday, and would apply to U.S.-bound flights from the continent and perhaps the U.K., prohibiting flyers from carrying anything larger than a smartphone into the cabin. (Yes, tablets would be forbidden, too.) That kind of ban is already in place for non-stop flights to the U.S. from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa.

There was even a notice at a Delta gate at Cincinnati on Friday that the ban would take effect May 12 (posted by SFO 1K on FlyerTalk), but that was premature. A DHS spokesperson referred all inquiries about the sign to Delta. Late Friday, Vocativ.com reported that a Delta spokesperson said the notice was posted by error and should be regarded as erroneous. (yeah, but…)

The sign, which has since been removed, said: Attention International Passengers.Effective May 12 passengers will only be permitted to carry a cell phone onboard flights returning to the United States. All other personal electronic devices with be required to be checked.

A sign at Cincinnati Airport spotted by FlyerTalk member SFO 1K on Friday morning (Source: FlyerTalk)

According to reports Friday from Reuters and Politico.com, DHS agreed to hold off on any order pending a meeting with European officials in Brussels next Wednesday (May 17).

EU officials are said to be concerned not only about the logistical problems that would be created by a sudden imposition of a laptop ban, but also about potential threats to safety if thousands of travelers start to put electronic devices into their checked luggage for stowage in the hold of the aircraft. The lithium-ion batteries in such devices are known to pose a small risk of igniting.

In fact, the European Aviation Safety Agency says on its website: “You should carry your portable electronic devices (PEDs, such as cameras, laptops and phones) in your hand baggage (carry-on), and not in your checked baggage,” because of the fire risk.

U.S. airline officials have been in talks with DHS in recent days about the looming announcement of a laptop ban for European flights, presumably to give them time to prepare their operations for such a possibility.

So we can all breath a sigh of relief … for now.

How will the laptop ban affect the way you travel? How or will you adapt? Please leave your questions and comments below.

Redesigned check-in area coming to British Airways’ Terminal 7 at JFK. (Image: British Airways)

In U.S. airport developments, New York JFK’s British Airways terminal is getting a makeover, and some airlines change locations there; LaGuardia will move ahead with a mass transit link; Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson gets more “smart” TSA screening lanes; Los Angeles International upgrades Wi-Fi service; and Baltimore-Washington gets a new passenger lounge.

British Airways revealed plans to spend $65 million on an overhaul of its Terminal 7 at New York JFK. Due for completion late next year, the project will give the terminal a renovated, more spacious check-in area; a new check-in zone for premium passengers with a fast-track security lane; new gate seating areas with more power outlets; and the development of “an authentic New York culinary experience with local food and beverage concepts.” Lounges for business class, first class, and Gold and Silver Executive Club cardholders will get a total makeover, “with more space and restaurant-style pre-flight dining,” the airline said.

Speaking of JFK’s Terminal 7, Alaska Airlines and Virgin America revealed plans to move their JFK operations there by October, giving up their current locations in Terminals 8 and 4 respectively. Terminal 7 is home to Alaska Global Partners British Airways, Qantas and Icelandair. Alaska and Virgin together operate 14 flights a day to JFK from Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Aeromexico has also moved at JFK – into Terminal 4, where it will be close to joint venture partner Delta.

The new LaGuardia will replace separate terminals with a unified structure. (Image: New York Governor’s Office)

A 30-minute ride between New York City’s Grand Central or Penn Station and LaGuardia Airport? That’s the goal for a new mass transit link in the works as part of that massive rebuilding of LGA that is now in progress. The New York Governor’s Office said it has just awarded a $14.6 million contract for preliminary analysis and design of the planned AirTrain, which will move people between the LGA terminals and the Willets Point stations of the Long Island Rail Road and the Number 7 subway line, where they can transfer for the trip into Midtown Manhattan.

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the very first location for two of those “smart lanes” at security screening checkpoints – lanes that keep passengers moving faster by using powered conveyor belts, stations for five people to load security bins at once, automated return belts for empty bins, etc. They have since spread to several other major hub airports, and now ATL has expanded its own smart lanes as well. The airport now has 22 of the fast lanes installed, out of a total of 27 lanes at three security checkpoints in the domestic terminal. They reportedly reduce passenger waiting times by 30 percent.

Los Angeles International plans to improve Wi-Fi access for travelers in its terminals. The LA Board of Airport Commissioners has approved changes in the LAX concessions agreement with Boingo Wireless that will let users access the airport’s free Wi-Fi with a single click instead of the several clicks currently needed. Boingo also agreed to install another 12 Wi-Fi access points in the Federal Inspection Services area of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. “The new access points will help arriving international travelers move through the customs and immigration clearance process faster and more easily with the Mobile Passport app,” an airport spokesman said.

Refreshments area at the new Club BWI. (Image: Airport Lounge Development)

Airport Lounge Development, which builds pay-per-use airport passenger lounges, has just cut the ribbon on its latest effort, The Club BWI at Baltimore-Washington International. The new facility is it eleventh U.S. airport location. The 2,200 square foot BWI club is in Concourse D near Gate 10. It seats 50, and is divided into a “relaxing zone” with comfortable chairs and power outlets; a “resting zone” where travelers can “put your feet up and take a quick break;” a “productivity zone” for working; and a “replenish zone” with food and beverages. A day pass costs $40. The facility is also open to members of Priority Pass, LoungeKey and Lounge Club.

British Airways has opened self-service boarding gates at London Heathrow. (Image: British Airways)

Three of Europe’s largest airports – London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris CDG —have started testing or using facial recognition technology as a way of speeding up passenger processing and boarding.

British Airways said this week that it has opened three self-service boarding gates at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, relying on digital facial scans as part of the process. The three domestic gates allow passengers to scan their own boarding passes at the gate and just walk onto the aircraft without the intervention of human gate agents.

BA said the process involves taking a digital facial scan of the passenger when he or she travels through the security checkpoint; when the traveler arrives at the departure gate, another digital image of their face taken there is checked against the earlier one. If the two match, the passenger is allowed through the gate and onto the aircraft.

The airline said it will extend the technology to three more domestic gates at LHR by mid-June, “with a view to rollout the scheme on international flights in the future.”

At Amsterdam Schiphol, the airport and KLM are conducting a three-month test of similar technology at one departure gate. Passengers who have registered in advance go to a special kiosk near the gate where they scan their boarding passes, passports and faces as part of the boarding process. Participants then board the aircraft through a special door that uses digital technology to recognize their faces.

“Schiphol and KLM want to study the technology of facial recognition – the system’s speed, reliability, and user-friendliness,” the airline said. “They will also examine the boarding process and the passenger experience. The ultimate aim is to make the boarding process as quick and easy as possible for our passengers.” The airline said that all data and images collected from passengers will be quickly erased.

At Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, the airports authority has started testing facial recognition software as a way to speed up passenger processing after terrorist attacks in the past two years prompted the French government to tighten security requirements for travelers. The tougher requirements led to big increases in waiting time at border control, with many travelers waiting an extra hour to get through.

The CDG test involves the use of new software from a vendor called Vision-Box, and is used for clearing immigration rather than for aircraft boarding. The software compares passengers’ passport photos with their faces, and it can be used for travelers from the 28 European Union member nations. If the tests work well and the government gives a nod to the technology, it could be used to speed up clearance for up to 20 percent of the airport’s passengers.

In the U.S., the CLEAR trusted traveler program uses biometrics but not facial recognition. (Image: CLEAR)

In the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security a few months ago issued a solicitation for vendors who can provide mounted facial recognition cameras to be used in airports. However, the purpose of that project is not to speed up boarding or passenger processing, but rather to help Customs and Border Protection catch persons who are not in the U.S. legally.

Currently, the biggest user of biometric technology in U.S. airports is probably Clear, which relies on iris and fingerprint scans rather than facial recognition to speed its members into the security checkpoints.

Readers: Would you trust facial recognition technology if it is used to speed up the boarding process? How about if it is collected by government authorities for immigration and security purposes?

In airport news, San Francisco runway work could mean some delays; Oakland also plans a runway rehab; Baltimore-Washington will expand its international terminal; faster security screening lanes are coming to Minneapolis-St. Paul; and Seattle breaks ground on more Alaska Airlines gates.

San Francisco International has scheduled a major maintenance project for its Runway 28L that could mean some weekend flight delays over the next four months. Officials said the runway, which is used mainly for arriving flights, will be repaved and will get new centerline lights and ground markings. While most of the work will be done during late-night hours, officials said, the runway will be shut down during several weekends. The weekend closures are scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday through noon the following Monday on the weekends of March 31; April 7, 21 and 28; May 5, 12 and 19; and June 2 and 9. The schedule is subject to change depending on weather, and “some delays may occur during weekend closures,” official said.

A similar project is coming this summer at Oakland International, where Runway 12-30 is due to get an asphalt concrete overlay – something it needs every 15 years, officials said. The airport hasn’t issued a schedule for the work yet, but said it expects to exercise “a short-duration, full closure option” for the runway, which is typically is use 24 hours a day. During the closure, the airport will use a parallel taxiway as a temporary runway – the same thing it did during the last repaving in 2001. The airport didn’t say what the impact would be on flight operations, but it will discuss that and other details of the project at a public meeting on Thursday (February 16), scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Oakland’s Metropolitan Golf Links, 10051 Doolittle Drive.

Baltimore-Washington International this spring will start construction of six new gates for its international terminal, including two full-service gates and four for arrivals only. The project involves building a 70,000 square foot extension of BWI’s Concourse E. Last year, BWI added two international gates as part of its new D/E Connector project. Airport officials said international traffic at BWI has been surging in recent years as airlines like WOW and Norwegian started service there; Southwest is the biggest international operator there, with flights to eight destinations in Latin American and the Caribbean.

Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Metropolitan Airports Commission has approved a $1.6 million plan to install some of those new security screening checkpoints that use new design features to move passengers through the process as much as 40 percent faster. The checkpoints allow up to five persons at once to load items into plastic bins, use an automatic return conveyor belt to move empty bins back to the loading area, and shunt questionable bags off to a side station for inspection instead of holding up the line. They’ve been appearing in major airports recently including Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles. The new MSP lanes will occupy four center lanes in Terminal 1’s south checkpoint, and should be in operation by this summer.

A new Alaska Airlines rooftop lounge will be part of Seattle’s North Satellite expansion. (Image: Seattle-Tacoma Airport)

Officials at Seattle-Tacoma International have broken ground on an eight-gate, $550 million expansion of Alaska Airlines’ North Satellite Terminal. The existing structure will be extended 240 feet to the west, and will also get a new upper level mezzanine and a $41 million, 15,000 square foot rooftop lounge for Alaska’s customers. The project will more than double the amount of space available for shopping and dining concessions. After the expansion is finished in 2019, the existing North Satellite space will be renovated and modernized.

Membership in PreCheck costs $85 for five years. PreCheck expedited screening is also open to members of Customs and Border Protection’s trusted traveler programs like Global Entry. PreCheck screening is now offered at some 180 U.S. airports, TSA said.

CLEAR lanes will soon be available in 22 U.S. airports. (Image: CLEAR)

The CLEAR trusted traveler program, which provides members with expedited access to TSA security checkpoints, is embarking on a big national expansion.

CLEAR said it added a presence at New York JFK a few weeks ago, and will do the same at New York LaGuardia today (January 25). It will then add lanes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson later this month, followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul and Los Angeles International later in the first quarter.

Are you noticing a pattern here? Last year Delta made an investment in the company, which refocused expansion efforts at Delta hubs. See CLEAR gets second wind.

At New York JFK, special lane are now available in Delta’s Terminal 2, and at LaGuardia in Delta’s Terminal D, with more locations coming at both airports, the company said. At Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, the lane will be in Delta’s South Terminal. It will also be in MSP’s South Terminal, and locations at LAX will be announced soon– but at least one (if not the only) location will be Delta’s Terminal 5.

The new airport locations will give the company a presence in 22 airports around the country, “covering the majority of flights in the U.S.,” the company noted. In the past year, it added locations at Detroit Metro, Seattle-Tacoma, Washington Dulles and Washington Reagan National.

But it’s important to note that while CLEAR is available at 22 airports, it’s NOT available at all entry points at those airports. And CLEAR lanes are not always open. So even if you are flying Delta, you should probably check to find out exactly where the lanes are located and when they are open.

CLEAR uses kiosks with biometric technology – fingerprint and iris scans — to verify the identity of its members at airport security checkpoints, and allows them to bypass the long lines that other travelers often encounter. (This is separate from TSA’s PreCheck program, and does not provide access to PreCheck lanes unless the member is also a participant in PreCheck.)

Membership costs $179 a year, although discounts are available to members of Delta’s SkyMiles program, varying by elite levels. Delta last year acquired a minority stake in the company and has supported its expansion to airports where the carrier has a hub or a major presence. New members who sign up at the airport will get a one-month free trial and can start using it right away. Read: How to get the Delta Discount at CLEAR

In addition to the airports mentioned above, lanes are also available at San Francisco, San Jose, Denver, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston Bush Intercontinental, Houston Hobby, San Antonio, Austin, Orlando, Miami, Las Vegas, Baltimore-Washington, Seattle and New York’s Westchester County Airport.

The CLEAR trusted traveler program is expanding to four more airports. (Image: CLEAR)

CLEAR, the members-only organization that lets you bypass those long security lines and go right into screening, will soon be available in four more major airports.

In an email to members, company said that it plans to open new CLEAR lanes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Los Angeles International, New York LaGuardia and New York JFK. It did not say exactly when it would appear in those airports – just that “We will be sharing launch dates in the coming weeks.” What’s also not clear (couldn’t help myself!) is whether CLEAR will only operate at Delta terminals at LAX and NYC or if it will be in multiple terminals as at SFO.

Earlier this year, Delta acquired an equity stake in CLEAR, and since then the company has been expected to open new facilities at the carrier’s primary airports – and the four new ones certainly fill that bill.

Standard membership in CLEAR costs $179 a year, but Delta’s involvement in the company has brought discounts for SkyMiles members based on their elite status. Membership is free for Diamond Medallions, and just $79 a year for Platinum, Gold and Silver Medallions. Non-elite SkyMiles members are eligible for a $99 CLEAR annual membership.

CLEAR gives members biometric-based IDs that let them access priority lanes for security screening. That gets them quickly into the regular screening process — or even into PreCheck for eligible flights, if they are a member of that TSA trusted traveler program. With regular PreCheck lines getting longer at some airports as TSA continues to push for greatly expanded traveler participation in that program, CLEAR might be a better way to go if it’s available at your preferred airports. (It’s definitely save me a few hundred dollars in flight change fees when I’ve been late to the airport, or been surprised by super-long lines.)

Have you used CLEAR or do you plan to now that it’s hitting critical mass in terms of key airports? Please leave your comments below.

Those new, speedier, more automated TSA airport security screening lines are proliferating quickly: This week new lanes opened at Chicago O’Hare for both United and American Airlines customers — including the first one exclusively for PreCheck members. And more lanes are coming to airports Dallas Ft Worth and Atlanta as well.

United said it has opened a “fully redesigned” TSA PreCheck security checkpoint for its Terminal 1 base at Chicago O’Hare, with one of the new automated checkpoints for PreCheck travelers and two others for regular screening. At the same time, American Airlines said it now has two of the faster screening lanes in operation at its Terminal 3 at O’Hare.

Similar to the new lanes that opened earlier this year at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson and more recently at Los Angeles International, the new facilities allow up to five passengers at a time to load their carry-on belongings into plastic bins, and automatically draw bags into the x-ray device instead of requiring passengers to push them. They also have an automatic return conveyor belt to bring empty bins back to the beginning of the line, and a secondary screening belt for bags that need an extra inspection, so that they won’t hold up the line. The bins are also 25 percent larger than before.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the new lanes are helping O’Hare to eliminate security bottlenecks that hampered its operations. “Earlier this year, wait times at (O’Hare’s) TSA checkpoints escalated to an unacceptable 104 minutes,” he said. “Working together with our federal and airline partners, we resolved this crisis and today have average wait times that are among the shortest of major airports in the country.”

Another fast screening lane is being built at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson. (Image: Delta)

Last month, United opened a pair of the faster screening lanes in its Terminal 7 at Los Angeles International Airport. And earlier in the year the concept was first introduced by Delta and TSA at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson. Speaking of ATL, another new automated TSA lane is now being constructed at the South security checkpoint, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution – although this project will not require the checkpoint to be shut down as it was last spring when the first two lanes were installed there.

Meanwhile, the board that governs Dallas/Ft. Worth International this week is expected to approve a $3.5 million expenditure to install 10 of the faster screening lanes around the airport, in Terminals A, D and E. The plan calls for two machines each at checkpoints near Gates A21, D18, D22, D30 and E18, according to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. The work is expected to be finished by next spring.

United is also working on an overhaul of security screening at its Newark hub, where it is consolidating four checkpoints into one centralized facility. American said it expects to add the new lanes early next year at Los Angeles, Miami and New York JFK as well.

Readers: Have you had a chance to try these new automated screening lanes yet? What did you think?

TSA is looking for ways to boost the number of enrollment centers for its PreCheck program. (Image: TSA)

After it set a goal of enrolling 25 million Americans in the TSA PreCheck expedited screening program, the government started looking for ways to get more travelers enrolled by using private-sector vendors. But now it has abruptly canceled that effort.

That’s good news for travelers who feel like the program was getting a little too popular, leading to longer waits.

The reason? Cybersecurity worries.

Last year, the agency sought additional companies it could work with to set up enrollment centers around the country; TSA this year has also been adding staff, increasing hours of operation and opening more locations for its existing enrollment program as it increased marketing efforts to draw consumers in.

But the agency recently ended that search, citing “concerns about the ability to ensure vendors properly safeguard testing data in light of the increased and evolving cybersecurity risks over the past year.”

When the TSA PreCheck line at SFO looks like this I’m glad I renewed CLEAR- with the Delta discount! (Chris McGinnis)

“As currently written, there is risk in using personally identifiable information during the testing phase of the process,” TSA noted. “While risk mitigations were included in the current RFP testing approach to protect the sensitive data during testing, TSA has determined it will no longer accept the risk associated with sharing the test data.”

The agency said it try again in near future once it can be sure it aligns with the Department of Homeland Security’s best practices for cybersecurity. PreCheck currently has almost four million members, and has said it hopes to reach 25 million by 2019.

TSA already works with MorphoTrust USA, which operates IdentoGO PreCheck enrollment centers around the country. This past summer, the company beefed up that effort by opening temporary sign-up locations at hotels in major cities and airports.

Airport officials this week released an animated video (below) of what the overall facility and its new security checkpoints will look like after all the work is finished, which won’t be for about four years. It will bring the biggest changes to DCA since its Terminals B and C opened almost 20 years ago.

Although the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority had always looked to Dulles International to handle the region’s long-term growth in air traffic, it seems that passengers continue to prefer the short trip to close-in Reagan National over a long journey out to IAD, so DCA’s passenger numbers have been setting records every year. Last year they topped 23 million, well above the airport’s capacity.

The primary goal of the big renovation is to reduce congestion in the terminals. One big piece of the project will be construction of a new concourse for commuter and regional flights on the north side of the airport. Once it opens, passengers will no longer have to use what the Washington Post has called the airport’s most “notorious choke point,” Gate 35X, where they board shuttle buses to get to their aircraft. That will require demolition of the airport’s executive offices and a couple of hangars.

National Hall, which offers dining and retail venues along a glass-enclosed walkway on the Terminal B and C concourse level, will also get a makeover, with security screening moved to the arrival level.

The plan also involves work on airport roadways and construction of a new parking garage. Much of the roadway work will be done at night to minimize inconvenience to passengers. The overall project is expected to cost about $1 billion.

New TSA lanes at ATL let up to five travelers load bins at once. (Image: Delta)

As the Transportation Security Administration continues its efforts to get travelers through airport screening faster, United Airlines is the latest carrier to unveil plans for new “automated” screening lanes at key hub airports.

Delta was the first carrier on board with the new program, when it cooperated with TSA in the installation of new screening equipment and procedures at a TSA checkpoint in Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson earlier this year. Then a few weeks ago, American Airlines announced similar plans for its screening lanes at Phoenix Sky Harbor this fall, to be followed by Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, and Miami International. And now United plans to bring the “automated” lanes to its hubs as well, starting with Newark Liberty this fall and then to Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles International.

United’s plans also call for the reconfiguration and consolidation of passenger screening checkpoints at Newark, O’Hare and Los Angeles. That includes combining four existing checkpoints at Newark’s Terminal C into one centralized facility with 17 lanes.

The new lanes feature automated belts that extend back farther so that passengers don’t have to keep pushing the bins of their belongings into the x-ray machines, and they allow up to five travelers at once to put their bins onto the belt, instead of doing it one at a time. The systems also have new conveyor belts that return empty bins back to the head of the screening line so that TSA employees don’t have to do it. If a passenger’s bag is determined to need a closer look after being x-rayed, that bag is automatically shunted off the main belt for further inspection without holding up the line.

United’s Terminal C at Newark will be the first of its hubs to get the new screening lines. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Based on the results of the new screening configuration at Atlanta’s airport, TSA said the revised equipment and procedures should reduce line time for screening by 30 percent.

United will also work with TSA in opening up a temporary PreCheck enrollment center in downtown Chicago’s Willis Tower next month, followed by new permanent enrollment centers at its hub airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Newark and Chicago.

And the above installations could be just the beginning. TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger told USA Today that the agency hopes to see up to 60 of the new screening lanes in place at the nation’s busiest airports by the end of the year.

Phoenix Airport will be the test site for new security screening technology by American Airlines and TSA. (Image: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport)

American Airlines, which recently complained to Congress that thousands of its passengers were missing flights due to long airport security screening lines, is the latest company to look to new technology to speed up the process. American joins Delta, which recently installed a pair of innovative checkpoint lanes at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson (and bought part of CLEAR).

American said it will cooperate with the Transportation Security Administration in trying out new technologies and procedures including automated screening lanes and computed tomography (CT) scanners at its hubs nationwide. The aim is to reduce the time customers spend in TSA lines by 30 percent, the company said.

The effort will begin with a pilot program at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, due to start by year’s end. The company anticipates expanding the enhancements to Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles and Miami.

Part of the program involves ”automating many of the functions currently conducted manually,” in order to speed up the process, American said. That includes automated belts that pull bags into the x-ray machine so customers don’t have to stand by to push them in; and other belts that return empty bins to the beginning of the checkpoint, so that TSA personnel don’t have to do that. New bins in the regular screening lanes will be 25 percent larger than the existing models so passengers won’t need as many of them.

Any passenger items believed to show a problem during x-ray can have their bins automatically shunted off the main belt for further checking without holding up the line. Bins will have radio frequency ID tags (RFID) “to allow for additional accountability of items as they transit throughout the system,” AA said; and cameras will grab a photo of the outside of the bag “which is linked to the x-ray image of the bag’s contents.”

Also to be tested at Phoenix is the latest CT scanning technology. It’s only used on checked bags today, but American said if it were used for carry-ons, that “could make it possible to allow passengers to leave liquids, gels and aerosols, as well as laptops, in their carry-on bags at all times” – he same kind of treatment that only PreCheck members get today.

The leader in CT security scanning is a firm called Analogic Corporation, which has been testing the latest scanning technology for the past two years at Amsterdam Schiphol and London’s Luton Airport, looking for explosives and other prohibited items without requiring travelers to remove laptops or liquids from their bags. The company said earlier this year that the tests have been a huge success, scanning more than a million bags so far. “The results were considered the best in class by airport security experts, with extremely low false alarms and increased throughput at the checkpoint,” a spokesman said. The company said the tests indicate CT scanning can handle up to 550 passengers per hour – twice the rate of traditional x-ray scanning.

American’s announcement comes just weeks after Delta teamed up with the TSA to install new security screening stations at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson that incorporate some of the same elements American will use at Phoenix – except for the CT scanning. They also have five stations where passengers can load up their bins simultaneously instead of doing it one at a time.

TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger said at a Senate hearing recently that the two new screening lanes at ATL have shown “dramatic improvements’ in speeding up the security process, improving efficiency by about 30 percent.

JetBlue wants more of its elites to have TSA PreCheck membership. (Image: Jim Glab)

With another holiday weekend upon us, travelers will get a fresh reminder of how stressed TSA’s security checkpoints can get. But now JetBlue has come out with an offer for its most loyal flyers that could get them out of those long lines.

The codes can be redeemed any time through September 30. The emails are going out to Mosaic-level members who don’t currently have a Known Traveler Number in their program profiles. The offer is good for persons who have achieved Mosaic status before June 30.

The regular fee for joining PreCheck is $85 for a five-year membership. TSA has been urging more travelers to join PreCheck as the best way to ameliorate the long lines that have plagues many airport security checkpoints so far this year. JetBlue noted that it has already taken other steps to help ease PreCheck lines, mainly by providing its own employees and some third-party hires to help out with non-screening tasks at checkpoints.

We could be seeing a trend here with airlines taking steps to move more of their most loyal customers to faster screening. Just a few days ago, Delta said it would offer free or discounted membership in the CLEAR trusted traveler program to SkyMiles elites, depending on their status level.

The Clear trusted traveler program will be expanding to more airports. (Image: Clear)

Longer PreCheck lines and a big new investor are breathing new life into Clear, the biometric-based trusted traveler membership program that lets travelers go directly into the TSA screening process.

Once TSA revved up its PreCheck expedited screening program, things didn’t look good for Clear, which costs more to join ($179 a year for a standard membership vs. PreCheck’s $85 for five years) and was only available in a handful of airports (13, vs. 160 for PreCheck). But now Clear’s fortunes appear to be changing, according to The Wall Street Journal (paywall).

It notes that Clear’s membership roster has tripled over the past 12 months, and now totals half a million. PreCheck has also been growing, leading to longer lines at its airport checkpoints as the number of travelers continues to surge and TSA implements more stringent security procedures following terrorist attacks in Europe.

Nonetheless, Clear handles only a tiny fraction of the traffic at airport security– for example, the WSJ reported that it handled only about about 10,000 out of the 2 million passengers at Las Vegas McCarran in March. At SFO, Clear entry points usually look like the one pictured below.

Clear entry points at SFO rarely appear to have much business (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

But Clear members, who check in with biometric identifiers, are are escorted straight into the front of the screening lines (although they don’t qualify for PreCheck screening unless they join that program separately). What’s more, some PreCheck members have complained that TSA doesn’t always keep those expedited checkpoints open even at airports where they exist.

And Clear recently got a big vote of confidence from Delta Air Lines, which bought a 5 percent stake in the company and plans to hand out memberships to its top SkyMiles elites.

The new investment from Delta is expected to speed up Clear’s expansion to more airports – especially those where Delta has a major presence. For example, Clear is expected to debut at Seattle-Tacoma next month, the Journal noted, adding that Clear expects to be in 24 airports by year’s end.

Readers: Do you use Clear, or did you use it in the past? Tell us about your experience with it, and whether you might use it again in the future.

The Transportation Security Administration has been urging travelers to sign up for its PreCheck trusted traveler program as the best way to avoid long lines at security checkpoints – but a new survey suggests that the PreCheck fee might be too pricey, slowing down enrollment.

TSA has a target of 25 million members for PreCheck, but it has fallen far behind that goal. So far, fewer than 2.8 million travelers have joined. Joining PreCheck requires a background interview at a TSA PreCheck enrollment center and payment of an $85 fee for a five-year membership.

The new survey of 1,000 domestic travelers conducted for the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) found that just over one in five said they expect to enroll in PreCheck as it is. But of the rest, half said they considered the $85 fee to be a deterrent to signing up for the program.

USTA said that if TSA would reduce the sign-up fee, that could go a long way toward boosting membership in PreCheck, which offers members an expedited security clearance process in which they don’t have to remove shoes or take laptops out of their cases. (PreCheck privileges are also extended to members of Customs & Border Protection’s Global Entry program, which carries a comparable $100 fee but also allows faster re-entry to the U.S. for international travelers.)

A lower fee and simpler enrollment procedure could bring in as many as 7 million new PreCheck members, USTA estimated. About one in five survey respondents who said they were unlikely to join cited a cumbersome enrollment process, and said they would prefer an online option.

TSA has made a big push to facilitate PreCheck membership in the past couple of years, using an outside vendor called MorphoTrust to expand the number of enrollment centers to 370 nationwide. The $85 fee is split between TSA, MorphoTrust and the FBI, which provides a fingerprint-based criminal background check for applicants.

What do YOU think? Is $85 (or just $17 per year) too much to pay for PreCheck? (Personally, I would probably pay more than that, but ….) Please leave your comments below!

Will heavy media coverage of long lines keep travelers at home this summer? (Image: Jim Glab)

Maybe those long lines at the Transportation Security Administration’s airport checkpoints won’t be so bad this summer after all – not because TSA will process them much faster, but because many travelers might decide to avoid the airport altogether rather than face an extra-long wait for screening.

That’s the ominous conclusion of a new consumer survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), which found that almost 22 percent of Americans planning a summer plane trip “will either travel by other means or delay or cancel their trips because of saturation coverage of hours-long waits at airport security checkpoints.”

Saturation coverage is no exaggeration: Major media outlets have been serving up daily stories on the miseries of security line waiting times; Congress has been holding well-publicized hearings on the issue this week; and social media have been clogged with consumer posts and tweets of long TSA lines, inspired by the @HatetheWait campaign started by Airlines for America (A4A), the airline industry’s main lobbying group.

“We’re looking at convincing data that says hundreds of thousands of people are potentially reconsidering whether to get on an airplane every single day. Given the importance of travel to both our economy and our way of life, it is not an overstatement to call that a national crisis in need of a national solution,” said USTA CEO Roger Dow.

No doubt consumers are especially dubious about air travel when they hear statistics like those presented to a congressional committee this week by a senior American Airlines executive, who estimated that so far this year, some 70,000 passengers and 40,000 checked bags missed their flights due to TSA screening delays – and that was just on American.

More PreCheck enrollments could help alleviate long lines. (Image: TSA)

Some help is on the way. Congress recently approved plans for TSA to reshuffle its budget so it has more money to spend on staff overtime and on hiring additional screeners. The private sector is also getting involved: Delta, American and United Airlines have each said they expect to spend up to $4 million or more this summer in assigning their own employees to help out the TSA with non-screening duties at security checkpoints, like managing lines and moving plastic bins from one end of the checkpoint to the other; some airports are also hiring private contractors to handle the same kinds of tasks.

Still, that may all amount to applying Band-aids to a gaping wound. Everyone seems to agree that the real problem nationwide is in the raw numbers: TSA estimates it will need to screen 740 million travelers this year, a 15 percent increase over 2013, even though its staff of inspectors has been reduced by 12 percent during that time due to budget cuts.

There is some evidence that throwing resources at the problem can help. At Chicago O’Hare, where passengers were facing line times of two hours or more a few weeks ago, the wait dropped to just 15 minutes this week after TSA added more inspectors, extra canine units and a new management team, according to the Chicago Tribune. But it’s unlikely that the agency could do the same at a large number of airports in the immediate future.

It’s ironic that Congress is so outraged by TSA’s shortcomings in passenger screenings, according to A4A, which charged this week that Congress largely created the problem by short-changing the agency’s budget. The government collects a security fee from every passenger to pay for airport screenings, but A4A alleged that under terms of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, Congress directed that billions of dollars from those collections be diverted away from TSA’s budget to pay for deficit reduction instead.

All parties seem to agree that one of the best solutions would be a surge in enrollments for TSA’s PreCheck program, which gives travelers access to expedited screening procedures with shorter lines. But that’s all they agree on. Some airline executives have suggested that TSA should revert back to earlier procedures that allowed its inspectors to direct non-suspicious travelers into the PreCheck lanes just to even out the screening workload. But some members of Congress, TSA executives and newspaper editorialists have called for airlines to eliminate checked baggage fees at least for the summer so that fewer passenger would be dragging overstuffed carry-ons through the security lines.

Readers: You probably belong to TSA PreCheck so you’re not that concerned, but what would you suggest as the best way for government and/or the private sector to address this “national crisis”?

A shortage of TSA inspectors is contributing to long lines. (Image: TSA)

The Transportation Security Administration has been warning travelers to expect extra-long lines at airport security checkpoints during the busy summer travel season. The agency has announced some steps it is taking to alleviate the problem, but other stakeholders in the industry are groping for solutions to the problem as well.

TSA got some good news this week as Congress approved the agency’s request to let it shift funds around among its accounts, freeing up $34 million that can be used to pay overtime for its airport officers, and also allowing it to hire another 768 new inspectors. It remains to be seen, though, how much this might help with the problem of long lines this summer.

One proposal that’s getting the most attention is one that’s least likely to happen. Two Democratic Senators – Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut – have asked U.S. airlines to eliminate their checked bag fees for the summer. The thinking is that if travelers can check bags for free, they won’t haul so many overstuffed carry-ons through the security checkpoints, backing up the lines. Even if that might work, there’s no reason to believe that airlines are going to give up one of their most lucrative revenue streams just because a couple of politicians asked them to.

Delta is taking a more pragmatic approach. The airline said this week it will assign some of its airport employees to take over non-security-related tasks at checkpoints to free up TSA inspectors for actual inspections. That includes things like managing lines and returning plastic bins from one side of the checkpoint to the other. The airline will also lend expertise “from industrial engineers and other areas” to make recommendations on redesigning checkpoints for a more efficient flow of travelers, the company said.

Speaking of checkpoint redesigns, officials at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are hoping for a May 24 debut of an overhauled south security checkpoint, which has been closed for a few weeks for reconstruction. Two new lanes there will each have five stations where five passengers can simultaneously put their belongings into plastic bins for screening. The conveyor belts are automated so passengers don’t have to linger to push their bins into the scanner. And RFID tags on each bin will allow a TSA screener to shuttle suspect bins off to a separate line where an officer can manually inspect the items in them. There’s also a lower-level conveyor belt that automatically returns plastic bins back to the other side of the inspection station so that TSA agents don’t have to haul them there manually.

Some stakeholders want to give up on TSA altogether. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey – which operates LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports — has become the largest airport authority thus far to tell TSA it is thinking of going private with its security inspections, replacing TSA staff with contractors of its own choosing. A similar idea has already been expressed by the Seattle and Atlanta airports. In a letter to TSA, the Port Authority said it can “no longer tolerate the continuing inadequacy of TSA passenger screening services.” It cited statistics showing that waiting times this spring at its airports were almost twice as long as last year.

The airline industry started a social media campaign to complain about long security lines. (Image: Airlines for America)

Meanwhile, the airline industry, as represented by its trade organization Airlines for America, has launched a social media campaign called “I Hate the Wait.” At that site, travelers who are waiting in long security lines at the airport can click on pre-set buttons to send a Tweet to TSA customer service (@AskTSA) with the tag #ihatethewait or to post a photo of their waiting line on Instagram and tag it @TSA. “Help improve efficiency by sharing your security line experience with the TSA,” A4A says – although it seems like this program is designed more to harass the agency than to bring about real efficiencies.

TSA has suggested that the best way travelers can help alleviate the long lines is by joining the PreCheck program (or Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry, which includes PreCheck privileges). It has also put part of the blame on Congress for cutting back its budget, leading to a reduction in the number of agents available for front-line inspections.

Security checkpoint lines at U.S. airports have been getting longer and longer. They surged during the busy Spring Break travel period, and are expected to get even worse when the summer travel season begins. So the Transportation Security Administration is taking some steps to alleviate the problem – and it is offering some advice to employers.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson sees increased enrollment in TSA’s PreCheck program as a big part of the solution to long lines, and in a statement this week he urged U.S. companies to “follow Microsoft’s example in reimbursing its employees who enroll in TSA PreCheck.” He also urged travelers to sign up for PreCheck whether their employers paid for it or not. The PreCheck application fee is $85 for a five-year membership.

“This will help us enhance security while greatly reducing travel time for everyone,” Johnson said.

He said TSA is increasing security checkpoint staffing at the airports that have the highest passenger volume, and is also boosting the number of canine teams at checkpoints. The agency is expected to double the number of dogs on duty at U.S. airports this year; it uses them to screen non-PreCheck members for possible transfers to the PreCheck lines.

Expect to see more TSA dogs on duty this summer. (Image: TSA)

TSA will also seek help from airports and airlines in “non-security screening operations, such as returning bins to the front of waiting lines,” he said.

Johnson also called on Congress to let TSA reallocate funds so it can pay additional overtime when its officers need to extend their shifts at crowded airports.

The agency’s airport screening staff has been reduced by 10 percent over the past few years in anticipation of a surge in PreCheck memberships that hasn’t materialized. At the same time, the number of flyers has been growing, leading to waiting lines that sometimes extend out the doors of the terminals at airports like Seattle, Atlanta and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Some airline executives have complained that thousands of travelers have missed their flights because they were stuck in long lines at the security checkpoint.

Readers: Does your employer pay for your PreCheck membership? Has PreCheck been effective in getting you through security faster?

Security checkpoint wait times at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have become so consistently and ridiculously long that its general manager is threatening to fire the TSA and hire its own security staff.

A reporter at the local ABC affiliate WSB-TV, “obtained a letter from a source written by the airport’s general manager [Miguel Southwell] telling the TSA to get their act together or we’re going to get rid of you,” according to the station’s website.

The problem appears to be with staffing. When WSB cameras were rolling at the airport, and lines were lengthy, only eight of 18 screening lanes were open, leading to 30-60 minute backups.

And PreCheck security checkpoints don’t offer much of a respite from the crowding, according to recent emails from TravelSkills readers. For example TB wrote: “This past Thursday at 3 pm, at the usually more quiet ATL North checkpoint there was a 35 minute wait at PreCheck. It was significantly longer than the regular line.”

TravelSkills reader BJ sent this photo, saying, “This is the end of PreCheck line at Delta ticket counters and from here goes all way to baggage claim and then wraps around. It was so long I opted for regular line.” A subsequent email from BJ said that he ended up losing his first class seat due to the delay, but the airline accommodated him at the last minute– in a middle seat in coach.

You may recall that ATL broke records last year in terms of passenger count— a stifling 100 million passengers passed through. That was a stat airport management was very proud of, but clearly there’s a flipside: longer lines.

WSB reports that the airport GM Southwell has “put the TSA on notice stating the agency has 60 days to get its act together or the airport will bring in its own qualified private contractors to man the checkpoints.” See full letter from ATL to TSA here. We should note that several airports, including SFO use private contractors instead of the TSA for security screening.

It will be interesting to see how the TSA responds, especially as spring break approaches and thousands of students jam the airport on weekends. Word of warning: watch out for late March. Why? Read this.

On my way back from New York to San Francisco last week, I was the ONLY traveler in the PreCheck line at JFK on a Monday morning at around 10 am. Granted, it’s not really rush hour, but still… it felt like a ghost town.

It was little more than nine months ago that the Transportation Security Administration announced that membership in its trusted traveler program — which entitles members to expedited screening procedures — had passed the 1 million mark. And now that membership number has doubled.

The agency has also continued to expand the option to more U.S. airports. TSA said that during 2015, it added 48 more airports to the program, so it now offers a total of 450 special screening lanes at 167 U.S. airports.

Over the past year or so, the agency embarked on a huge expansion of enrollment centers for the PreCheck program, using an outside vendor called MorphoTrust, a subsidiary of the French identity firm Safran.

The firm has boosted the number of enrollment offices, which it calls IdentoGO Centers, to more than 355 locations nationwide. And even though that expansion has resulted in a doubling of PreCheck membership since last March, “IdentoGO Centers are now processing nearly 50 percent more applications every day, compared to earlier in 2015,” the company said.

Besides opening hundreds of new enrollment centers, the company has also started a mobile enrollment program for businesses and has used a partnership with H&R Block to create more retail options for walk-in sign-ups.

PreCheck membership costs $85 for five years. Expedited screening is also open to members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection trusted traveler programs like Global Entry.

A few months ago, TSA said that it had started to scale back on the practice of steering non-members of PreCheck into the PreCheck screening lanes in order to more equitably balance the loads on its inspectors.

Readers: Is it taking you longer to get through PreCheck lines recently? Overall, how would you rate your opinion of PreCheck these days?

Despite a lot of the bellyaching I hear, I’d still say it’s pretty excellent! I know there are plenty of folks who may not agree, but to me PreCheck is one of the best things to happen to air travel since the introduction of seatback TV 🙂

Speedy TSA Pre✓® lines at San Francisco International Airport(Chris McGinnis)

What’s the fastest way to run the airport security gauntlet and get home or off on vacation for the holidays? TSA Pre✓® of course!

By now you’ve likely heard of TSA Pre✓® — or seen the dedicated lanes at airport security where members speed through without removing shoes, belts or jackets. They also don’t have to remove laptops or liquids from their bags prior to screening. Eliminating those unwieldy steps from the screening process makes getting through airport security a breeze, which means less stress getting to your flight on time…and getting to your final destination.

Once you have applied, you’ll make an appointment at an IdentoGO Center, where agents verify your identification (a birth certificate or passport plus another government issued ID like a drivers license), obtain background information and scan your fingerprints and securely transmit your application package to TSA for review.

The agency completes the application vetting process and, once you are approved, it will send you your Known Traveler Number (KTN) via mail. While the whole process takes only a few weeks, you can now check the status of your application online.

The application fee is $85, and it’s good for five years– so just $17 per year. Ask any TSA Pre✓® member and they’ll tell you that it’s money well spent!

Disclosure: Thank you for reading TravelSkills! We will periodically send out messages like this one from commercial partners about topics relevant to frequent travel. Our sponsors’ support, and yours, help us keep TravelSkills a free publication.

United Airlines is spending millions on improvements to its Terminal C hub at Newark Liberty International Airport, and for passengers, the work can’t be finished soon enough: A big new consumer survey finds Newark ranks at the bottom of all large U.S. airports in passenger satisfaction.

In fact, many U.S. airports have been spending lots of money on expansions and improvements in recent years, and it’s apparently having a generally positive impact on travelers. A new J.D. Power survey of 21,000 North American travelers — its first poll on airport satisfaction since 2010 — found that on a 1,000-point scale, passengers’ overall satisfaction with large airports has gone up 54 points in the past five years, to 719, while the score for medium-sized facilities jumped 69 points, to 752.

That’s not to say there aren’t still big differences from one airport to another. The survey found that among large airports, Oregon‘s Portland International scored highest in satisfaction (791), just ahead of Tampa (776) and Las Vegas McCarran (759). By contrast, the lowest-scoring large airports were some of the nation’s busiest: Newark (646), LaGuardia (655), Los Angeles International (670) and Chicago O’Hare (680). Atlanta’s giant Hartsfield-Jackson ranked 8th with a 742 score, while San Francisco was in the middle of the pack at 721.

Among medium-sized airports, Cleveland was at the bottom of the satisfaction list with a score of 698, just below Houston Hobby (700) and Hawaii’s Kahului (705). The highest-rated mid-sized facilities were Dallas Love Field and Southwest Florida International (both at 792), followed by Indianapolis and Raleigh-Durham (both at 789) and Jacksonville (787).

Oregon’s Portland International scored first place as the nation’s favorite large airport. (Image: Jim Glab)

What makes a passenger decide that one airport is great while another is awful? J.D. Power found that key factors include retail concessions, security screening and gate areas. Airports that have added more new restaurants, bars, stores and other services “are realizing significant gains in overall customer satisfaction,” a J.D. Power official said.

The survey found an inverse correlation between passenger satisfaction levels and the amount of time it took them to go through check-in and security. And clean vs. messy gate areas can make a difference of almost 200 points in passengers’ satisfaction with the airport’s terminal facilities, J.D. Power said.

“Making sure travelers can hear flight announcements and having ample seating and outlets for charging electronics around a gate also lift satisfaction with terminal facilities by more than 130 index points,” the company said.

Another interesting finding: Older travelers tend to spend the most time in airports (an hour or more), but they spend a lot less money there ($7-$10) than Millennials and GenXers ($25 and $18 respectively), who are in airports on average for less than 50 minutes.

Check out the total listings below in the two charts from J.D. Power’s 2015 North American Airport Satisfaction Study.

Readers: What do you consider to be the country’s best and worst large and medium-sized airports? Do you agree with the J.D. Power findings? What can make or break your satisfaction with an airport? Post comments below.

Do you research the security and/or medical situation at your destination country? (Image: Jim Glab)

A new survey finds that a majority of persons who travel abroad worry about possible health and security risks, but few take the time to actually research the situation at their destination country. Now two risk-management firms have come out with a new map that might help.

According to International SOS and Control Risks, two firms that specialize in health and safety issues for corporations and their business travelers, a new Ipsos Global Advisor survey of travelers found that fully 80 percent felt their safety or health could be endangered abroad, but fewer than half that number did any research to see what the specific risks might be, or how to mitigate them.

The study found that among “senior executive travelers,” some 71 percent have had some kind of medical problem while abroad, but only 15 percent looked into the health care options available at their destination country before departure.

The survey polled more than 10,700 international travelers, about a quarter of them senior executives.

International SOS and Control Risks said that according to their analysis, nearly one-third of all international business trips are to nations that have higher medical or security risks than the traveler’s home country.

So they put together a world map showing the overall risk levels of various nations — from both a security and a medical standpoint. You can click here to open up a large interactive version of the map that you can zoom in on, and see all the country-specific ratings and explanations of terminology and risk factors.

Here’s a basic version of the new risk map; click on the above link for a larger interactive version. (Image: International SOS/Control Risks)

At the very least, you can prepare for your next international trip by checking the U.S. State Department’s list of travel alerts and warnings to see if anything of concern is going on at your destination.

Readers: What steps do you take before an international trip to assess risks and protect yourself? Post comments below.

For the past few years, paid-up members of the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program of expedited screenings have been grumbling about the agency’s practice of funneling some non-members into the fast lanes — making those lanes not so fast after all.

Now the only persons allowed into PreCheck are those who have paid the $85 fee and gone through a personal interview, as well as members of Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry ($100) and other trusted traveler programs — in other words, anyone who has been assigned a Known Traveler Number by the government.

It’s a good thing, too, because TSA said recently that the number of PreCheck members has passed the 1.5 million mark. PreCheck lanes are now available at more than 150 U.S. airports, allowing members to pass through the screening process without removing their shoes or belts, or to remove laptops from their carry-on bags.

TSA currently offers 330 PreCheck enrollment centers around the country, at airports and elsewhere,and it plans to expand that number to more than 400 as a result of a new partnership with MorphoTrust USA and H&R Block.

Can you help United find security vulnerabilities in its systems? (Image: Hyatt)

Last month, United Airlines banned security researcher Chris Roberts from flying on the carrier after he discussed and tweeted about security vulnerabilities he had discovered through in-flight entertainment system hardware under the aircraft seat.

But now United wants to reward computer geeks who can help it find any kind of vulnerabilities in its systems.

Specifically, United said it wants to hear from any MileagePlus member who can identify “a potential bug that affects our websites, apps and/or online portals,” and it is offering miles as a reward. United has created a new web page to describe the program.

United’s bounty for bug busting

The company said the bounty will be paid only to the first person who uncovers any specific bug. The types of bugs United is looking for include authentication bypass; bugs on it apps or customer websites; cross-site scripting (XSS) or request forgery; remote code execution, and so on.

The company doesn’t want bug-hunters to inject code into live systems or otherwise disrupt them, poke into other people’s MileagePlus accounts, test for bugs on aircraft systems like in-flight entertainment or Wi-Fi, or conduct scans of its servers.

How much can you earn? Low-severity bugs like cross-site scripting get 50,000 miles; authentication bypass bugs and a few other categories are worth 250,000 miles; and remote code execution brings in a cool million.

Identified with signs labeled Gold Track and showing the Star logo, the expedited security access lanes are currently available at 21 airports worldwide and will soon be launched “at airports across our network,” Star said.

A wicked tail of a hacker getting banned by United (Photo: Rolling Thunder)

Now this feels kinda scary, weird and big-brotherish.

Last week prominent security researcher Chris Roberts was banned from flying United after speaking on TV and tweeting about airline security vulnerabilities and his alleged ability to hack into and tamper with inflight systems during flights.

Back on March 22 on Fox News, Roberts boasted about how he’s been able to connect to a box underneath his seat on planes to view data from aircraft engines, fuel and flight management systems.

Then this week on Twitter (connected via United’s wi-fi system), Roberts joked around about his ability to hack into airlines’ flight management systems:

According to USA Today, that tweet resulted in the confiscation by the FBI of all his computer equipment, including an iPad, a MacBook Pro, several hard drives and several USB memory sticks last week.

Chris Roberts Twitter profile

Roberts heads up a company called One World Labs, “which tries to discover security risks before they are exploited,” according to the Associated Press.

On Saturday, Roberts tried boarding a flight from Colorado Springs to San Francisco, but was stopped by United’s corporate security.

Why?

“Given Mr. Roberts’ claims regarding manipulating aircraft systems, we’ve decided it’s in the best interest of our customers and crew members that he not be allowed to fly United,” airline spokesman Rahsaan Johnson told The Associated Press.

Roberts ended up flying Southwest to San Francisco, where he’ll no doubt be a celebrity among practitioners of the dark internet arts at the big RSA Conference, which draws nearly 30,000 attendees and claims to be the largest such gathering in the world.

Here’s a screenshot of the presentation Noble will be giving on Thursday at Moscone Center.

Roberts case has now been taken on by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which says on its website: “United’s refusal to allow Roberts to fly is both disappointing and confusing. As a member of the security research community, his job is to identify vulnerabilities in networks so that they can be fixed. Indeed, he was headed to RSA speak about security vulnerabilities…”

Poor guy. I’m still wondering how he’s going to be able to give his presentation if all his equipment is with the FBI. But who cares, he now has an even more interesting story to tell. We’ll be listening!

**TRAVELSKILLS HOUSEKEEPING! We will be updating our format over the next few weeks to make it more easily read on mobile devices. Things could get a little buggy so please bear with us as we make the transition. Thank you, dear readers! We look forward to hearing your feedback when it’s all done.**

Did you miss our TravelSkills’ Weekend Editions? Not to worry! Here they are:

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Starting September 9, you’ll see something like this at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

From frequent flyers to fly balls, a special fast track lane for ballpark security is coming to AT&T Park, home to the San Francisco Giants.

A pilot program starting September 9th and running through the end of the season will be operated by CLEAR, the pay-to-enter trusted traveler airport security company currently operating at nine airports nationwide.

At AT&T Park, all fans have been screened with metal detectors or handheld wands this season, with the Major League Baseball organization requiring that all ballparks begin using metal detectors by the start of the 2015 season. Sometimes all that special screening can lead to backups.

“Ballparks are similar to airports as a lot of fans are going through security in a short time period,” CEO Caryn Seidman Becker tells TravelSkills. “During this pop up pilot, CLEAR members should expect the same great experience they have at the airport. CLEAR is all about making this process more efficient and effective.”

How? After registering with the program, “CLEAR’s secure identity platform ensures you are who you say you are and you can use that identity in the airport and beyond. CLEAR is focused on bringing members an easier, faster, more efficient experience where they live, work and travel,” Seidman Becker promises — but wouldn’t say exactly how much time she expects members to save.

Please join the 50,000+ people who read TravelSkills every month! Sign up here for one email-per-day updates!

Pre-game queues swell at AT&T Park (Photo: BullCityDave / Flickr)

But here’s how things will work at AT&T Park:

• The CLEAR lane can be found at the Marina Gate.

• The pilot will begin Tuesday, September 9th and run for the last 10 games of the season.

• CLEAR members must bring their CLEAR card to use the new pop up lane.

• If they bring a friend who is not a member, their +1 can use the line directly next to CLEAR.

TSA PreCheck proved part of CLEAR’s undoing five years ago– but with PreCheck lines increasingly choked by passengers unfamiliar with how the process works, CLEAR is starting to look more attractive again.

Not sure whether you want to spring for the $179 annual membership? “As busy travelers return to the grind, they can enroll with a two month free trial and get other “travel pro” tools as well for free until September 15th,” Seidman Becker tells us. “Just use code PROTRAVEL at checkout. Members can always add a family member for only $50 more. All children under 18 are free and don’t require a CLEARcard. Kids can accompany CLEARmembers through the pop-up CLEARlane.”

Bottom line: if you fly frequently to the nine airports where CLEAR operates, you might find it useful. That’s especially true at airports where security can be swamped with vacationers, like Orlando or (soon) Las Vegas.

And now, AT&T Park.

–John Walton

UPDATE: Clear has published its own web page about the new fast lane at AT&T Park.

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NEW BOARDING PROCEDURE AT SFO. United has installed new gate layouts at SFO and other US airports to help better manage the boarding process. Instead of waiting to board in bunches, each group is now divided into separate boarding lines in the following order:

I flew United to Boston last week and have to say that the new system seems to be working well, even if it does remind me of the frequently derided Southwest Airlines “cattle call.” United claims the new boarding process is 20% faster. What do you think? Have you been through the new boarding process? Please leave your comments below.

VIRGIN JOINS PRECHECK. No airline can claim to coddle business travelers unless they are part of the wildly popular PreCheck program, which offers member access to TSA’s “trusted traveler” fast lanes at 40+ airports across the US. Last week, Virgin America joined American, Delta, United and US Airways as the PreCheck’s fourth US airline. (Southwest Airlines says, “we are working on it.”) This means that members of Virgin’s Elevate program who are part of Global Entry or similar trusted traveler programs offered by Customs and Border Protection can now pass through special security lanes that do not require the removal of shoes, belts or coats and laptops can stay inside carry-on bags for x-ray screening. If you are already a member of PreCheck through another airline, be sure to add your PASS ID to your Virgin America profile! IMPORTANT: Members of PreCheck are randomly chosen—while it’s likely you’ll hear those lovely “three beeps” when your boarding pass is scanned by agents, it’s not guaranteed like CLEAR. For more information on PreCheck, Clear and Global Entry, be sure to see our post, The No-Hassle Travel Trifecta.

CLEAR, PRECHECK INTEGRATION AT SFO. Clear and PreCheck are integrating operatons at SFO. PreCheck is currently located in T3 (main United entrypoint) and T2 (American and Virgin America) at SFO. (Even though United operates flights out of T1, there is no PreCheck lane there.) As part of the integration, CLEAR says that will soon add a location adjacent to PreCheck United Premier/First/Business security entrypoint on the western end of T3. Once the integration is complete, CLEAR members who also qualify for PreCheck will enter security under the CLEAR cube, and then get an escort to the PreCheck lane. How will it work? CLEAR CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker told TravelSkills: “It is the exact same CLEAR process as today, but when we scan the boarding pass, we not only do a name match, but our system can read also the embedded barcode to determine whether a member is PreCheck eligible for that particular trip. If eligible, the member is guided to the PreCheck physical screening lane.”

ONE YEAR OF CLEAR AT SFO. Last week CLEAR celebrated one full year at SFO and provided TravelSkills with the following tidbits: There are now six CLEAR lanes at SFO (at least one at every terminal) and the company has created 50 jobs in the Bay Area. CLEAR members have passed through CLEAR lanes at SFO over a million times. Nearly 200 Bay Area companies offer corporate plans to help their frequent travelers steer clear of security lines. San Francisco is home to the largest number of active CLEAR members.

ROCKETMILES REMINDER. Remember when we recently wrote about the new mega-mileage bonuses offered by new sites like Rocketmiles and Pointshound? These sites curate upscale hotels in major cities and offer travelers huge airline mileage bonuses for bookings made through them. For today only, Rocketmiles is offering DOUBLE miles on hotel bookings– so if you have any trips coming up, today would be the day to make those bookings. Plus, since we signed on for referral bonuses from Rocketmiles, we earn 1000 miles for each booking you make from this link— and so do you!

Have you seen the new-style Global Entry kiosks at SFO? (Chris McGinnis)

LINES FOR GLOBAL ENTRY KIOSKS? Last month TravelSkills reader D.I. wrote in stating: “Just arrived on UA 838 from Tokyo and the Global Entry Kiosk line stretched to the entry to the hall (where you turn left to go to the kiosks). Average line size seems to be increasing, which diminishes the value of this perk. Any news on whether more kiosks are coming?” Seemed surprising since nearly every time I’ve entered the US via Global Entry kiosk, the wait (if there was one at all) was more like one minute. So I asked DI for more details. He said, “There were at least 50 people in line and it took about ten minutes. Actually this was faster than two weeks ago when the line was shorter but two of the kiosks weren’t working and also there were a number of people who weren’t familiar with the machines. On the good side, there is now an agent there helping people work the machines and to make sure people don’t wait when there are open machines down the line.” Have you noticed back ups at Global Entry kiosks at SFO or elsewhere? Please leave your comments/experiences below.

Airport officials sent the following alert out on Friday May 10 regarding significant delays (up to 70 minutes) at ATL due to TSA staffing issues. Have you noticed? Please leave your comments below.

ATLANTA – In light of TSA staffing shortages and long lines at the domestic security checkpoint, Department of Aviation officials at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport advise passengers to arrive 90 minutes to two hours prior to their scheduled departure time.

Wait times were as long as 70 minutes on Friday, as passengers experienced what appears to be the effects of sequestration on TSA staffing. The Airport has 22 checkpoint lanes at the main checkpoint in the domestic terminal. However, only 13 lanes were open when lines were at their longest.

“It is unacceptable to have so few lanes open during peak passenger traffic,” said Louis Miller, Aviation general manager. “It’s obvious TSA has a staffing shortage. And, it is affecting our ability to offer the level of customer service we’re committed to.”

Airport officials have stationed extra customer service representatives along the checkpoint lines to direct passengers to the shortest lines within the checkpoint areas. Additionally, the representatives monitor all three domestic checkpoints to determine when passengers should be directed to other least congested areas.

“We’re doing everything we can do to keep the lines moving,” said Louis Miller, Aviation general manager. “ But we will continue to meet with TSA to stress the importance of providing enough staff. Hopefully Congress will take the appropriate action to rectify the problem.”

Hartsfield-Jackson , the world’s busiest airport, sees about 45,000 passengers pass through it domestic checkpoints on an average day. Officials estimate that approximately 55,000 passed through on Friday, the start of a busy Mother’s Day weekend.

With sequester-mandated budget cuts at the TSA (and the possibility of delays at understaffed security checkpoints) giving frequent travelers and the media the heebee-geebees, now is the time for BATs to invest in what I call the “no-hassle travel trifecta.”

This tripartite plan for avoiding airport bottlenecks involves signing up for three tools that will help you sail through airport lines with a smile: CLEAR, Global Entry and PreCheck.

1) CLEAR Card- $179 per year.

CLEAR, which operates at SFO as well as airports in Dallas/Ft Worth, Denver, New York-Westchester County, Las Vegas and Orlando, (soon, Miami) provides guaranteed access to the front of the standard security lines (even ahead of those in airline elite level lines) for an annual fee of $179.

Members still have to remove shoes, laptops, etc. There are CLEAR lanes at all entrances at all terminals, including international, at SFO. CLEAR’s biggest selling point is that it guarantees access to the front of the line—and this certainty about the airport experience is very valuable to time-pressed frequent travelers. Over the last few months, lines have been so short at SFO that I’ve not had to use my CLEAR card… but the few times it saved me from 20-30 minute waits have made it worth the $179 fee.

While CLEAR won’t reveal how many subscribers it has, this week it said that cardholders have sped through airport security one million times over the last two years.

2) Global Entry – $100 for five years

Directional signs to Global Entry kiosks at SFO

Last month, I arrived at SFO from Puerto Vallarta at about the same time that two full jumbos jets from Asia arrived. Waits at immigration queues were 30-45 minutes—the entire arrivals hall was packed. With Global Entry, I was able to sneak off to a special queue, and along with a handful of other savvy travelers, use one of four Global Entry kiosks… and ended up getting to the airport curb in less than five minutes. The friends I was traveling with were not amused!

To get a Global Entry card, you must fill out an online application, and then appear at the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office at SFO for a personal interview, and allow agents to take a photo and few biometric measures. The $100 fee is good for five years. Last year, United Airlines began reimbursing the fee for “premier priority” Mileage Plus members. The American Express Platinum card does the same. As a result of these incentives, I have learned from TravelSkills reader that the current wait time for an interview at the CBP office is 2-4 months! And if sequester cuts kick in, waits could be even longer.

According to CBP, more than 1.4 million trusted travelers now have Global Entry benefits. SFO is one of 34 airports in the United Sates and 10 pre-clearance locations in Canada and Ireland with Global Entry kiosks. In Australia, Global Entry cardholders can now use the country’s SmartGate kiosks for expedited immigration processing. Sign up here: www.globalentry.gov

3) PreCheck (Free for Global Entry cardholders, elite flyers)

PreCheck offers certain high mileage frequent flyers access to special, faster lanes at airport security that do not require them to remove their shoes, belts or coats, or take their laptops out of their bags for screening. At SFO, there are only two PreCheck lanes: One at United’s premium or elite level member checkpoint (“F3”) in Terminal 3; the other at the joint American/Virgin America checkpoint at Terminal 2. Both PreCheck lanes are located on the far left side of the checkpoints. There are no PreCheck lanes at the international terminal checkpoints because PreCheck is for domestic passengers only.

In addition all Global Entry, Nexus and other card-carrying trusted travelers that hold special clearance from US Customs and Border Protection (see above) are eligible for PreCheck. For the process to work, be sure to enter your Global Entry number on your airline frequent flier program profile.

The most important thing to know about PreCheck is that selection is random—which means that even of you have obtained PreCheck status, you are NOT guaranteed access to the PreCheck lane. You will only know that you are selected for the PreCheck lane when you arrive at airport security and allow the agent to scan your boarding pass or smart phone. Three beeps from the scanner means that you can proceed to the PreCheck lane. One beep means that you must enter the (likely longer) non-PreCheck line for standard screening. For security reasons, the TSA will not reveal its selection criteria.

Do YOU have the no-hassle travel trifecta yet? Please leave your comments below.

It’s official: Starting on Wednesday, November 14, the TSA’s popular PreCheck trusted traveler security lanes make their long-awaited debut at San Francisco International Airport.

PreCheck offers certain high mileage frequent flyers access to special, faster lanes at airport security that do not require them to remove their shoes, belts or coats, or take their laptops out of their bags for screening. SFO is one of the last major airports in the US to get PreCheck.

Initially, there will be only two PreCheck lanes: One at United’s premium or elite level member checkpoint (“F3”) in Terminal 3; the other at the joint American/Virgin America checkpoint at Terminal 2. Both PreCheck lanes will be located on the far left side of the checkpoints with PreCheck directional signage.

There will be no PreCheck lanes at the international terminal checkpoints because PreCheck is for domestic passengers only.

Only specially selected passengers flying United or American can use PreCheck lanes when they open on Wednesday.

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There is no definitive word yet on when or whether Alaska, Delta or US Airways passengers will see PreCheck lanes at Terminal 1. A Delta spokeswoman told TravelSkills, “We will continue to keep an eye on the number of our customers [in the Bay Area] who participate in PreCheck. As that number grows, a specially designated PreCheck line is possible in the future.”

For now, Virgin America passengers cannot use PreCheck lanes at T2 because the carrier is not yet part of PreCheck, which the TSA still considers a pilot program. Virgin spokesperson Jennifer Thomas said, “Carriers need a certain number of eligible participants in their frequent flyer programs for TSA to accept them into the testing and initial operation of the program. TSA recently expanded that pool, and as a result we are now working with them on this and hope to be in – in the near future.”

In addition all Global Entry, Nexus and other card-carrying trusted travelers that hold special clearance from US Customs and Border Protection are eligible for PreCheck.

PreCheck or CLEAR?

Starting next Wednesday security checkpoints at SFO will have THREE special fast lanes for frequent travelers: PreCheck, CLEAR and airline first class/elite lines. These three options are all slightly different.

CLEAR, which operates at SFO as well as airports in Dallas/Ft Worth, Denver and Orlando, provides guaranteed access to the front of the standard security lines for an annual fee of $179. Members still have to remove shoes, laptops, etc. There are CLEAR lanes at all entrances at all terminals, including international, at SFO. CLEAR’sbiggest selling point is that it guarantees access to the front of the line—and this certainty about the airport experience is very valuable to time-pressed frequent travelers. (Click here for a free two-month trial of CLEAR )

The most important thing to know about PreCheck is that selection is random—which means that even of you have obtained PreCheck status, you are NOT guaranteed access to the PreCheck lane. You will only know that you are selected for the PreCheck lane when you arrive at airport security and allow the agent to scan your boarding pass or smartphone. Three beeps from the scanner means that you can proceed to the PreCheck lane. One beep means that you must enter the (likely longer) non-PreCheck line for standard screening. For security reasons, the TSA will not reveal its selection criteria. PreCheck is a free program if you are one of the lucky few chosen by your airline for this status. If not, you can buy your way into PreCheck status by spending $100 to get Global Entry from Customs and Border Protection (which provides access to faster kiosks vs immigration lines when returning to the US from abroad).

For those who have CLEAR and PreCheck, CLEAR just announced that it has been approved to integrate PreCheck eligible CLEAR members into the PreCheck screening lane after they verify with CLEAR. “We are working with the airports and local TSA to operationalize the integration, which will hopefully be done soon,” said CLEAR spokesperson Nora O’Malley.

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Finally, if you are flying in first or business class, or are an elite level member of an airline frequent flyer program, you will have access to a special, shorter (most of the time) security line. United recently discontinued its Premier Line option, which allowed non-elite members to pay a fee for access to faster elite security lines.

So which line makes the most sense for you? Will you opt-in for PreCheck? Spend $100 for Global Entry? Pay $179 for guaranteed CLEAR access? Or just stick with what you’ve got? Please leave your comments below!

For a limited period, San Francisco passengers will have the opportunity to experience spacious luxury onboard the world’s largest commercial aircraft, the Airbus A380 on flights to Asia. Between December 28, 2012 and March 24, 2013, Singapore Airlines will pop into town with daily “Pop-Up” A380 flights between San Francisco and Singapore via Hong Kong. Flip through this slideshow to see its famous Suites and the widest Business Class seats in the sky.

SQ1 departs SFO at 10:50 pm and arrives in Hong Kong at 5:50 am two days later. Flight time is about 13 hours to Hong Kong, and with another 3.5 hours to Singapore, you’ll have plenty of time to soak up the luxury and explore the 1000+ onboard entertainment options. SQ2 arrives daily in SFO at 7:45 pm on the same day it departs from Singapore and Hong Kong.

In a nutshell, PreCheck offers certain high mileage frequent flyers access to special, faster lanes at airport security that do not require them to remove their shoes, belts or coats, or take their laptops out of their bags for screening. (When I was chosen to pass through a PreCheck line last summer in Atlanta, the process reminded me of pre-9/11 security… a breeze. I was through in less than a minute and walked away with a big smile on my face.)

The introduction of the speedy new PreCheck lanes has been one of the best things the TSA has ever done for frequent travelers. It has been a roaring success in terms of passenger satisfaction as well as PR for the frequently maligned agency. To date, 3 million travelers have passed through PreCheck lanes at 26 airports across the country– the most recent addition is United’s hub at Washington-Dulles. It’s also at United hubs in Newark (C3), Houston and Chicago. Even LAX has it!

There’s only one problem: Not a single Bay Area airport has PreCheck yet.

Why not? Well, it’s been tough for me to get a good answer from the airport or the TSA… and I’ve been asking and asking ever since the program rolled out last year. I’ve been hearing from TravelSkills reader, too wondering why we don’t have it at a major hub airport like SFO or even OAK or SJC.

Last week I got a hopeful response from SFO spokesperson Mike McCarron: “It is ultimately up to the airlines to work out the arrangement with the TSA. From what we understand, PreCheck should start showing up with United and Delta about mid-November.” All the TSA will say is that it “will be in 35 airports by the end of 2012.”

Virgin America spokesperson Abby Lunardini told TravelSkills, “We’re in discussions with TSA and are supportive of program and hope we can offer to Virgin America’s T2 guests in the near future — but there is no definitive roll out date yet.”

So there you have it…. I guess we’ll just have to sit back and wait our turn. Stay tuned to TravelSkills for updates and a big announcement when PreCheck finally arrives– hopefully this November.

Have you enjoyed PreCheck at other airports? Have you used CLEAR lanes at SFO yet? Are you finding airport security a bit more manageable now that the summer crowds have gone home? Please leave your comments below.

>Chris McGinnis

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Did you know that July is the busiest month of the year for air travel? As summer crowds begin to swell at SFO, frequent travelers are increasingly facing longer than expected lines at security… except for those who subscribe to the $179 CLEAR card, which cranked up operations at SFO in May.

From the looks of this photo, regular security lines during peak summer season are becoming reliably long, while CLEAR lines are reliably short…or even non-existent.

CLEAR is not revealing how many new subscribers it has in the Bay Area right now– the only number I could coax out of them was that members had used CLEAR lanes 600,000 times since the service re-started in 2010. The company also claims that 80% of its users in Denver and Orlando have returned since the company re-opened CLEAR lanes at airports in those cities. Prior to shutting down in 2009, CLEAR had 40,000 members in the Bay Area.

See the quiet CLEAR line at the bottom of this photo?

Currently, CLEAR has cranked up service in Orlando, Denver, San Francisco and just this week at Terminal E at Dallas Ft Worth. While it says it is working on getting back into other airports, it won’t name names.

To convince more of us to jump for the $179 annual subscription, CLEAR has started to layer on extras meant to appeal to frequent travelers. For example, they are offering a free one-year gold membership to the Regus network of workspaces and offices around the world. New members can also get a free three-month trial of of TripIt Pro, a service that helps travelers consolidate and keep track of their travel reservations. They are also offering free two-month trial memberships to those who have never been CLEAR members before.

Even with airline elite status, security lines are still rather unpredictable, especially in airline hub cities with a lot of frequent flyers (i.e. United hubs here at SFO or in Denver) so CLEAR execs are heavily promoting how having a CLEAR card provides predictability and no surprises when it comes to airport security. For a busy business traveler, this means leaving for the airport at the last minute and knowing that you won’t face a long wait at airport security.

Is that peace of mind worth $179 a year? Are airport security lines still a hassle or headache for you? Have your tried or re-activated your CLEAR membership? I’m waiting to renew mine until my heavy travel schedule kicks in this September. What about you? Please leave your comments below!

Editor Chris McGinnis

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